


I'm Your Family

by Marshmellow Bobcat (MellowBobcat)



Series: I'm Here, I'm Your Family [2]
Category: Veronica Mars (TV), Veronica Mars - All Media Types
Genre: Character Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Sequel, keith dies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2020-03-02 20:01:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18817993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MellowBobcat/pseuds/Marshmellow%20Bobcat
Summary: “Tragedy blows through your life like a tornado, uprooting everything, creating chaos....”Tragedy strikes Veronica when Keith is murdered by the E-String Strangler, but this is Logan’s story.Logan’s POV of I’m Here. Logan’s version of events, missing scenes, what Veronica didn’t notice.A LoVe story.





	1. Chapter 1

Sheriff Don Lamb walks past Logan, into Veronica’s tiny apartment and Logan’s entire body fills with dread. He recognizes that look. He’s been on the receiving end of that look a lot recently. Aaron, Mom...Lilly. One glance at the battle light in Veronica's eyes, and he knows she’s not expecting it. She’s ready for quips, not devastation. So he sits next to her on her minuscule couch and waits. 

As Lamb finishes his explanation and lets himself out, with a shockingly sincere, “I’m sorry,” Logan grips her hand. He watches her body slacken, the light leaves her eyes. He’s talking to her, but she’s not there. It’s been almost five minutes and he’s starting to panic.

“Veronica? Veronica? Come back to me.”

It’s a bit of a mantra for them, something they say when they’re ending their secret trysts. And of course, he started it. He’s always afraid hiding will become too much for her, that she’ll realize he’s not worth it, and change her mind. So he asks her to come back to him. Every time. And every time she says—

“Always.”


	2. Chapter 2

It’s not that Logan is happy that Keith Mars died. He would do anything to spare Veronica that pain, but he  _ is  _ relieved to have an excuse to make their relationship public. He’s been thinking about it for a while now, he just hasn’t figured out how to broach the subject.

They haven’t even discussed if they’re “boyfriend and girlfriend” or “friends with benefits” or something else entirely. And how would that even work? Do they just start holding hands in the halls? Are they ‘hold hands in public’ people? They’re certainly hold hands—and any number of body parts—in private people, and he knows he tends to be a bit possessive, so he would guess...yes? Would she let him do that? Hold her hand? She let Duncan hold her hand, but she’s different now. Harder. God, why is he such a girl? Whatever, he’s just going to tell her: secret’s done.

She argues with him, of course she argues with him. She reminds him of why their relationship is a secret in first place. It was his stupid idea, after all.

_ It’s shockingly easy for him to torment Veronica Mars, all he has to do is not look directly at her. Taunt her with an obscene lap dance for a zombie? Stare at the table, not her. Roll up next to her in the Xterra and antagonize her about her mother? Stare at a point just over her left shoulder, not at her. Feel her creep up behind him as he puts together the world’s most boring memorial video? Stare at the computer screen, not at her. Never at her. Until, one night, at Lilly’s fountain dedication ceremony, his eyes meet hers. _

_ Now when he passes her in the hallway, he can’t stop himself from staring. And she stares back. He wonders if she ever stopped staring. _

_ After his Christmas poker game he can’t stop thinking about her. Not that he ever stopped. How best to hurt her. How to embarrass her. He’s almost always thinking about her. But this...this feels different. When he asks her what an evil-doer smells like, he’s surprised that it comes out teasing. It was supposed to be sarcastic, dammit. And she makes him laugh. Logan Echolls isn’t supposed to laugh because of Veronica Mars, he’s supposed to laugh at her. That’s the new world order he instituted. Except...he forgot how funny she is. _

_ Lilly was a lot of things—sensual, effervescent, exciting—but she was never funny. She may have laughed and giggled, but it was always at someone else’s expense or at some naughty little tidbit she was sharing. Veronica was the one in the group that could always make him laugh, really laugh, in a way he didn’t practice in the mirror. _

_ He should never have started looking at her again. Now he has to know what it means. _

_ He stays after class one day, and asks Ms. Dent to pair him and Veronica on an assignment. At her suspicious look, he puffs out his chest. “She takes the best pictures.” Sometimes the spoiled little rich boy persona has its benefits. _

_ Logan and Veronica work well on the article; not quite friends, but not enemies either. When it’s time to review their work, they read it on the computer together and he deliberately shifts so his arm brushes against hers. His heart stops, and then starts racing. He risks a peek at her face. She looks… unaffected. Wait. She didn’t move away. Did she move closer? He can’t tell. What does it mean? _

_ And then… _

_ And then he comes home one day, and Aaron tells him that his mom’s car was found idling on the Coronado bridge. They haven’t found a body. He doesn’t believe it. They found a note. He still refuses to believe it. And so he asks for her help. He finds out where Veronica moved, and goes to her turf, gives her the upper hand. She can mock him, slam the door in his face, laugh at his pain. But he knows she won’t. _

_ She takes the case, no questions asked. She even lets him help. She’s remarkably decent, which is more than he deserves. As the investigation wears on, they fall into old rhythms. The little touches of friendship, the gentle teasing. He forgot that, too. With her, while silence is comfortable, it’s rare. They seem to always have something to talk about. _

_ He just finished ‘Finnegan’s Wake’ and is starting ‘Ulysses,’ eager to go through his mother’s James Joyce collection. He wants to be able to talk to his mom about her favorite books when they find her. Veronica has read both and they spend their time discussing his thoughts, her theories. _

_ He’s never had this kind of easy conversation before. He and Lilly spoke about people, rarely about ideas. He didn’t even bother with Caitlin. Their conversations didn’t get much deeper than “Nice Vespa,” and “When did you start fucking the help?” The closest comparison he can make is pre-zombie Duncan. _

_ What does it mean that he’s comparing her to his best friend? Well, except…most of the time he finds himself picturing her without clothes. And maybe those little touches aren’t completely friendly on his end. And how tall is she exactly? She’s so short, he’d have to either pick her up or maybe if he bent down…yeah, okay, not exactly like Duncan. _

_ Logan watches the video of his mother’s body fall to the water, and shuts down. When he restarts, he’s somehow in the girl’s bathroom draped over her tiny body, sobbing. She’s holding on to him and repeating, “I’m here. I’m your family. I’m here.”  _ _ And he finally knows what it means. Of course she figured it out before him. Family. He could use family right about now. _

_ He takes a little break from school. As far as everyone else is concerned, his mother died already; he doesn’t feel like explaining why he’s acting like he just found out. He still wants to see Veronica, though, so he starts spending as much time with her as she’ll allow. Going on stake outs, hanging out at MI, grabbing food, even asking her to bring him his homework. _

_ They’re on one of her stakeouts discussing the finer points of ‘The Big Lebowski.’ Conversation is still easy, but tonight there’s a tension in the air. He wonders if she knows what it is. Rumor has it she’s not as innocent as she used to be, but he knows Madison started most of those, so they’re probably not true. _

_ Would she recognize it as sexual tension? The air is so heavy he can taste it. Every time their arms touch on the center console it feels like an electric shock. She was friends with Lilly, she has to know, right? _

_ Her low, “Fuck it,” cuts through his thoughts and suddenly she’s in the passenger seat, straddling his lap, her hands in his hair, her mouth on his. He breathes out, “Oh, thank God,” and loses himself in her. _

_ He tells her he doesn't want to taint their new relationship with whatever salacious spin the media is sure to put on it, and she agrees. The press has barely let him breathe since his mom disappeared. In the morning they’re in front of his house. When he goes back to school they are in the parking lot. They stop just short of tailing him in between—he hopes. _

_ Veronica is smart enough to know that the names Echolls and Mars equal the Lilly Kane murder; and, while she can take the heat, he knows it would hurt her to see her dad’s name dragged into the papers again. _

_ Not long after they get together, his father is killed. Apparently a former lover saw the open position for the next Mrs. Echolls and was shocked that she wasn’t considered for the role. Logan can’t bring himself to feel anything except relief. _

_ Veronica is, of course, suspicious of his reaction. Logan slowly starts opening up to her—introducing her to the real Aaron Echolls, one scar at a time. He can tell she’s furious, but her actions are quietly supportive. She simply holds his hand as she listens to his tales of horror. _

_ “That man doesn’t deserve to be called family,” she tells him fiercely. “I’m your family.” _

_ One day, they’re sitting in her living room, he’s just finished telling her why the smell of pears makes him panic, and she seems agitated. Fidgeting with her fingernails, bouncing her leg up and down. Finally, she jumps up, and grabs a pile papers from the kitchen island. She appears to be debating with herself but finally hands them to him. _

_ He flips through them. “Emancipation papers?” _

_ “Yeah… I just thought… yes, emancipation papers.” _

_ “They’re signed. By Trina.” _

_ "She’s your legal guardian. Did you not know?” He didn’t. Hadn’t even thought about it actually. _

_ “Do you not read your mail? Check your messages? Talk to your lawyer?” _

_ “No, but apparently you do.” The teasing tone falls a bit flat. _

_ She sighs. “The judge awarded Trina full guardianship. I got her information from your lawyer—if anyone asks, you have a ditzy assistant named Amber that you’re constantly threatening to fire.” _

_ He raises his eyebrows and she adds defensively, “What? Having an assistant seemed like the sort of jackass thing you would do.” _

_ “Veronica…” _

_ “Anyway, I called Trina last week and sent the papers to her in Australia.” She stops again, her face fluctuating between anger and sympathy. _

_ “She agreed to sign them, as long as you agree to pay her a monthly stipend. I agreed on your behalf, but you can always just throw out the papers if this isn’t want you want.” She looks away from him, explaining in a rush, “I just wanted you to have options and—” _

_ “I love you.” He cuts her off abruptly, pulls her into his lap, and proceeds to demonstrate how much. _

_ Two weeks later he watches her world fall apart. _

 

_ _


	3. Chapter 3

If there’s one thing Logan understands, it’s anger. He’s been angry since before Lilly’s murder, he was just better at hiding it back then. It wasn’t until Aaron died that the knots of fury started to truly loosen a bit. So he recognizes the rage he sees in Veronica, he just doesn’t know what to do about it. 

The funeral is a minefield. Logan walks beside Veronica and helplessly watches her fists clench with each, “I’m sorry for your loss.” He keeps her close, until Wallace pulls him roughly to the side. “What the hell you trying to pull here, man?”

Logan heaves a sigh. He gets it. He really does. When they “came out” they didn’t offer any explanations. No one had the gall to ask the broken girl about her love life, and no one has ever had the guts to ask Logan anything, so their origin story has remained a mystery. In Wallace’s eyes, Logan went from busting Veronica’s headlights to playing bodyguard.

Logan glances over at Veronica. She’s talking to Cliff now, who is less likely to piss her off than most, so he has a few minutes. Logan gestures Wallace to the corner of the room and explains their relationship as quickly as he can. In the end he's almost pleading, “She’s my family.”  _ Please understand, please accept.  _ He doesn’t want to fight her best friend for a place at her side, especially since said best friend has been much better to her than he has in the recent past. He will. But he doesn’t want to.

Wallace sighs. “Look, she was happy. Before…all this. I think you had something to do with that. And I think you see the marshmallow underneath that angry girl.”

Logan snorts at that.

“So fine,” Wallace continues, “I won’t say anything to her or get in your way, but—”

“I know, I know. If I hurt her, they’ll never find the body.”

“No. If you hurt her, I’ll tell her you hurt  _ me _ and then I’ll let her ruin your life.”

* * *

Veronica’s a ticking time bomb. Vinnie offers her a job and Logan watches her take Vinnie’s head off. He knows the kind of fury she has boiling inside of her—the kind that’s always on simmer, dying to bubble over—can lead to extreme, impulsive actions. Usually it ends with him putting his fist through a wall or a person. Veronica would do worse. He imagines when she’s done with Vinnie, he would be destitute or in jail. Or both. And he knows she would regret it. Logan subtly starts rubbing the small of her back, hoping to calm her. It must help because she switches gears completely, accepting the job. He’s relieved, but he watches her carefully after that. He can protect her from her darker instincts. He knows he can.

Then her mother moves in. And things get so much worse. Whereas before Veronica was quick to ignite—unpredictable with her highs and lows—now she’s reveling in her anger. Nurturing it, getting lost in it. She’s at a rolling boil, ready to burn anyone that comes too close.

He tries to help, but he’s out of his element and nothing seems to work. Veronica is insistent that Lianne is only after Keith’s life insurance money. He reasonably suggests, “Let her have it.” What’s money compared to her peace of mind? It’s not like he doesn’t have tons of it. Veronica storms out without a word.

She complains that the apartment isn’t big enough for all three of them. He says, “Let’s move. Lianne can’t follow us if I buy the house.” She doesn’t even hear him.

He even attempts talking to Duncan about it Monday morning at school (he figures losing a sister might give Duncan  _ some _ insight), but the conversation is remarkably one-sided.

Logan skips third period and heads to the journalism room to research the psychological effects of losing a parent. Printing off a pamphlet on grief, he carefully folds it into a little square. Maybe if she recognized  _ why  _ she’s angry, it would help her work through it. He has just finished shoving it into her locker (no way is he handing that to her in person) when he sees Madison Sinclair storming out of gym class and down the hall, holding a bloody nose. He knows—just KNOWS—that Veronica is responsible. This has got to stop. Lianne has to go.

He tells Veronica he needs to meet with his Estate Manager (turns out he has one of those), and goes to see Jake Kane instead. The way he sees it, Jake owes him. Mister “You’re Like a Son to Me” has been suspiciously absent in the aftermath of his parents’ deaths.

He finds Jake sitting behind the desk in his study. Logan plops the emancipation papers he had his lawyers draw up in front of Jake.

Jake ignores the paperwork in favor of direct eye contact. Someone’s been reading their copy of  _ How to Win Friends and Influence People.  _ “Logan! What can I do for you, son?”  

Son, my ass.

Logan takes a seat opposite Lilly’s father, and informs him without ceremony, “I need you to convince Lianne Mars to sign these papers and leave Neptune. Well, I don’t actually care where she goes. She can move in here for all I care, but she has to get out of Veronica’s apartment.”

“What makes you think I have any control over Lianne Mars?” Jake deadpans.

Logan’s fingers knead his forehead. He doesn’t have the bandwidth for bullshit right now. He needs to get this done and get back to Veronica, especially since he lied about where he is. And he’s pretty sure she tracks his car.

“Keep up, Jake.” He snaps his fingers in the man’s face. “Veronica figured out why her mother left her dad a long time ago. She doesn’t care about the affair. But Lianne needs to move out. She’s only making things worse. I’ll pay her off if I have to, but she has to sign these papers.”

“I’ll think about it.” Jake replies shortly, dropping all pretense of ignorance.

Logan ponders the wisdom of his next statement. It’s really Veronica’s right to share what she discovered just before her father passed, and he feels a little guilty taking it from her. But he knows Jake. Right now Jake is focused on his Night of the Living Dead offspring, but when he figures out that Duncan is a lost cause, he will no doubt focus on Veronica—smart, beautiful, the daughter of the woman he actually loves. Jake would most likely see Keith’s death as an opportunity and try to step in and parent Veronica.

And then Logan will have to figure out how to get her off of murder charges. That settles it. “She’s not yours, by the way. Veronica. She took a paternity test. Keith is her father.”

Three days later, Duncan hands him an envelope before school starts. Reviewing the contents, Logan sees the signed emancipation documents, a note detailing the account information of Lianne Mars, and a dollar amount higher than the total of Keith’s life insurance payout. Best money he will ever spend.

When he presents Veronica with the signed emancipation papers, she seems relieved. Logan sends with paperwork to his lawyers, with instructions on the money transfer, and Lianne is gone within hours of her substantial balance increase.

Logan desperately hopes some of Veronica’s anger will dissipate. He’s not sure what to expect from her now. He’s so scared that getting rid of Lianne won’t make a difference, that he acted too late. That he’s lost her to the anger and bitterness. So, when he opens his locker one day and finds her famous snickerdoodles inside, the relief is so palpable he has to blink back tears.


	4. Chapter 4

The cookies were a good sign, but Veronica is still not totally present. It’s like she’s floating through a fog or something. Every action seems shallow, mindless. She mixes up her class schedule—showing up at the wrong class on the wrong days—and she’s still not eating without prompting.

All of Logan’s research says it’s a phase, that she just has to get through it. But still—he’s worried. She’s too tiny to skip meals, she’ll disappear. And she needs to be able to get through the school day. Veronica will never forgive herself if she wakes up one day with no scholarship opportunities because she fell behind. God knows she won’t let him pay for college. So, when Veronica first returned to school, Logan enlisted Wallace and Mac’s help, and together they worked out a system to ease Veronica through her day.

Wallace’s locker is next to Veronica's, so his job is to discreetly check her bag between classes to make sure she takes the correct books with her.

Since Mac shares most of Veronica’s honors and AP classes, she chats away while surreptitiously shepherding Veronica through the halls, ensuring that she arrives at the correct class.

Logan takes charge of her meals. It makes the most sense since he spends the most time with her. She doesn’t go looking for food and never seems hungry, but, if she’s distracted, she will reflexively pick at what’s in front of her. With that in mind, Logan makes it a point to always put a plate of food near her and as Veronica absently pops food into her mouth, he slides more onto the plate. It’s a delicate balance, adding just enough for her to keep eating without her realizing what he is doing. A little tiring, but worth it.

Logan, Mac and Wallace also spend a lot of time shielding Veronica from their classmates. People who have never bothered to talk to her before keep trying to approach her. They offer their sympathies, but what they really want is a story to tell. “I spoke to Veronica Mars today. Poor thing. You heard what happened to her dad, right?”

Even her more friendly acquaintances, like Corney and Mandy, need to be monitored. They keep telling her how sorry they are. How terrible it is. Mandy even cried all over her. They don’t seem to get that Veronica’s superpower is compartmentalizing.

At home, she can unpack the grief—cry, throw things. As long as she doesn’t burn the house down, she can do whatever she wants. Actually…she can do that too. It would save him an argument.

But at school, she needs to store the pain away, put on the stoic face. That’s how she operates. And so Logan, Mac, and Wallace continue to insulate her as best they can. They act as normally as possible, making it a point to keep including her in their conversations, pretending like she’s participating. And, in time, she starts following along. Even responding occasionally. It’s a start.

* * *

Feeding her, shielding her is helping. Intellectually, he know it is. But he wants to do more, and he’s out of his depth. She’s not partial to his usual cure-alls of drugs, booze, and sex. Well...the sex might work, but suggesting it doesn’t seem appropriate. Which is a shame, because sometimes he can’t help but think that if he could just  _ be _ with her then he could help her more. Take away her pain—even if it’s just for a little while. In that, at least, he’s exceedingly confident.

One of things that surprised him the most about his relationship with Veronica was their sexual chemistry. He’s always been attracted to her—pretty, blonde, sassy. What’s not to like? But he didn’t expect sleeping with her to redefine his understanding of sexual relationships.

Lilly was experienced when they started dating, and she seemed to somehow gain more experience while they were dating. She was fun, adventurous, sometimes a little scary.

Caitlin was… fine. But it was always a bit one sided and she didn’t like getting messy. He always wondered if she made Chardo take three showers before letting him touch her. Does bike grease ever come off?

Mostly, his sexual experiences have been...prolific. Though a majority of them are a little blurry, he thought he knew all there was to know at this point.

But Veronica… when he and Veronica started having sex, he discovered that all his other encounters were lacking. Even though she lacked experience, their first time and every subsequent time was nothing short of mind blowing.

He thinks it’s because she’s completely honest in bed. She’s not coy like Lilly or dry like Caitlin or forgettable like everyone else. She goes for exactly what she wants, says no clearly (though rarely) if she doesn’t like something, and she’s not self-conscious about her body or grossed out or embarrassed by anything they do. Her confidence, her lack of guile, is a turn on in itself.

Despite all that, he finds himself a little grateful for this extended platonic period. He’s never not had sex, and surprisingly the lack of it adds an emotional intimacy to their physical contact. It’s what was missing from all of his past relationships. He’s realizing that, for him, sex was the easy option. Not having that to turn to is what’s enabling him to be a partner, a caretaker, a support system. He’s never had that before.

During the day, if they’re not touching she reaches for his hand, like she’s trying to reassure herself that he’s there. He holds her at night, and she soaks his chest with her tears. He strokes her back when he sees her getting worked up, and watches the tension drain from her body.

It makes him feel validated. Worthy. She’s showing him her trust, her vulnerability, just by allowing him to touch her, comfort her. She doesn’t cry in front of Wallace, doesn’t let Mac hold her hand. That’s just for him. For her family.

Being a person she can trust absolutely is something he’s working on. It’s  is hit or miss, and he’s trying his best, but a lot of the time he feels like he’s failing. He hasn’t had the best role models to emulate.

 

* * *

One day they’re sitting on that minuscule couch, listening to music, and Logan is reminding himself that being platonic can make you feel amazingly connected. But as she’s coming back to herself, becoming more present, it’s getting more difficult. And… does she have to wear that threadbare, white t-shirt? She’s clearly embracing her bra-less years. He’d very much like to embrace them again too.

To distract himself, he asks her to dance. Which, in retrospect, is a stupid way to become  _ less _ aroused. Thankfully, so very thankfully, Veronica attacks him, dragging him back to her room. He tries not to smirk, the orange Henley must do it for her.

He’s almost afraid to ask (what if she changes her mind?), but he has to know if she’s sure. He feels stupidly grateful when she tells him to shut up and climbs on top of him.

He kisses her, letting the comfort of physical connection seep into his body. Content to let her take the lead. Only taking charge when she comes up for air, tugging his shirt up and whispering, “Logan, please.”

He flips her onto her back and blinks when she bounces back towards him. He tilts his head in consternation, studying her. Until it dawns on him. They've never had sex in her room before, and he forgot about the waterbed. It appears that any activity more vigorous than sleep has a rebound factor he hadn’t considered.

Veronica looks a little startled too, but she just grins, sits up, and pulls her shirt over head, tossing it onto the floor. He opens her jeans and helps her peel them off, letting them fall next to the shirt.

He is pleasantly surprised to find she is completely bare underneath her clothes. He knows it’s because they both suck at laundry, but in this moment he chooses to see it as a divine gift.

He gestures for her to lay back on the bed, and takes his time adjusting her so she’s at the center. Truthfully, he’s stalling a bit. He’s slightly nervous. It’s been so long it almost feels like the first time.

He covers her body with his, weight mostly on his elbows, and kisses her sweetly. She tries to deepen the kiss, but his elbows wobble on the bed, and he doesn't want to fall on top of her. Regretfully, he pulls away and consoles himself by slowly kissing his way down her body.

As he’s getting lower he becomes conscious of the fact that his legs are sliding off the stupidly small bed the further down he gets. By the time he reaches his goal he’s in a demented plank position—with his thighs still on the bed, his knees suspended in mid-air, and his toes flexed on the floor.

He peeks up, but she doesn't notice his awkward position. His mouth hasn’t been idle, and her head is already thrown back, soft moans coming from her throat. It’s fine. He can make it work. He gets his head back in the game.

He grips her hips and brings her closer to his face, but his elbows wobble again, then slip on the malleable bed. This time when he looks up, her neck is craned and she’s looking back at him with one eye cracked open. He tries to reposition himself and his knee bangs into the wooden frame of her bed.  _ Fuck. That hurt. _

He adjusts again but he can’t quite get his balance. The bed keeps sloshing, he thinks it may not be as full as it should be, making it hard for him to find any equilibrium. He’s losing momentum and now she’s pushing herself up on her elbows for a better look at what’s going on.

Desperately afraid to lose the moment, he slides down to kneel at the foot of the bed, pushing aside a pile of orange clothes in his path. Gripping her thighs, he tugs her down after him so her butt is perched on the edge, one leg resting on each of his shoulders. That’s better. He lets out a quiet sigh of relief and gets to work.


	5. Chapter 5

Logan is gearing himself up to broach the topic of moving with Veronica—again. He’s tried before, but for some reason she just doesn’t seem to hear him. Or notice. Or care. He’s not a hundred percent sure she even recognizes that he moved in. To be fair, it took him awhile to notice, as well.

_ Right after her father dies, she needs him, and he intends to be there. That’s what family does. So he stays. They spend the first night on the floor in front of the couch because she can’t bear to walk past her father’s bedroom door. The next night, when she finally falls asleep, they’re on the couch and Logan is afraid to move her. She needs all the sleep she can get. The third night, they make it to her room but she doesn’t sleep at all. It’s not until the twelfth night that he realizes he’s basically living there—only stopping at the mansion to pick up more clothes. _

_ Then one day, he makes plans with Wallace while Veronica is working at Vinnie’s. He tells his new friend, “I’ll meet you at my house,” and runs into Wallace in the parking lot of Sunset Cliffs. That’s when Logan fully understands that he has a new home. _

_ With very little thought, and not an ounce of regret or nostalgia, he puts the mansion up for sale. He really, and truly, hates the place anyway. Everywhere he turns he sees memories he’d rather forget. His scantily clad mother traipsing around his friends here; his asshole of a father beating the shit out of him there. Logan hires a moving company to pack up his room and the pool house—the only two areas he occupied with any regularity. He’s already stored any mementos from his mother and he doesn’t want anything else. Logan moves the boxes of his clothes into Veronica’s tiny apartment and tells his estate manager to handle the sale, furniture and all. _

Almost as soon as he’s fully committed, he figures out that it’s not going to work. There’s not even room to hang his Henley collection. He can’t live like this. So he asks her to move, using her mother’s presence as the perfect excuse to go. She doesn’t bite. And he’s been trying ever since.

But today, well, today she called his car, “the banana boat.” It’s been so long since she’s made an Xterra joke, it doesn’t even register at first. Once it does, he can’t work up any anger, even if she is making fun of Belle—who is clearly a beauty, even if Veronica doesn’t recognize it. Plus he thinks it’s cute that she’s jealous of the other blonde in his life. As long as Veronica’s not stripping off the gorgeous yellow paint with piano wire, it’s fine. In fact, he thinks it’s a good sign. The perfect time to bring up moving.

He knows he can’t just mention it in passing, that he needs to plan his approach perfectly. He doesn't know what he'll do if she ignores him again. He can't live in this tiny apartment for the rest of his life...but he doesn't want to live anywhere without her. So while she bakes another cake after school, he goes to her stupid, tiny room to do “homework,” and by homework he means prepare a stellar argument that even Veronica Mars can’t argue with.

He emerges just as she is pulling her cake out of the oven. He takes a deep breath and states firmly, and clearly, “We have to move Veronica.” There. Just like he practiced.

And once again, she doesn’t seem to acknowledge the statement. But at least she’s paying enough attention to ask, “Why?”

Logan plays his trump card: “Because we’re sleeping on a waterbed. A  _ twin _ waterbed.” He lets every ounce of frustration he feels bleed through the words. Hoping that she understands the silent message. A waterbed—a representation of all things wrong with this apartment. They’re supposed to be family, and he’s tired of feeling like a guest. Tired of avoiding furniture that she considers her dad’s, tired of watching her turn pale every time she passes her father’s locked bedroom door.

She looks away from him and he deflates, thinking he lost her. Then suddenly her eyes focus on him.

“Logan?” She says earnestly. “We have to move.”

Relief floods him.  _ Thank God. _

He makes a mental note to call the realtor his former estate manager recommended. But first—he scoops her up and carries her to their room.


	6. Chapter 6

“Logan, no one is going to take us seriously in this bumblebee.” Veronica’s voice is joking, but there’s a layer of caution underneath. Yesterday she called his baby a “lemon” and his quick and empathetic “No!” alarmed her. He didn’t mean to startle her, but even he has his limits. Belle is NOT a lemon. Veronica is obviously a little weary of her nickname game now. 

He keeps his tone easy to let her know he’s not mad (Bumblebee is a compliment, has she never seen Transformers?). “I doubt the Le Barron would fair any better.”

“You’re right.”

She seems really concerned. He doesn’t understand why. Who cares if real estate agents take them seriously? As soon as he says his name they all start sucking up anyway.

Veronica does have a habit of fixating on problems that aren’t there, particularly when she’s in crisis. He thinks it might give her a sense of control in the chaos, so he lets it go. At least she’s not breaking noses in gym class.

* * *

The next time they head to an open house she’s sporting the obnoxious CZ ring she wore when they were investigating his mom’s credit card activity. She seems to think it makes people treat them with more respect; he doesn’t notice a difference.

Whatever makes her happy. That’s what every little thing is about these days, isn’t it? Making her happy. Never mind the anxiety that fills him every time he looks at the damn ring. Does she want to get married? Are they even dating? They never talked about it and it’s obviously not the time to press her. Whatever. He’ll just focus on the house search and they’ll be fine.

The problem is, if they look at yet another tediously cute “starter home,” he’s going to vomit. He understands that she’s trying to do things the “right way.” He even understands that her way is considered normal, but their situation isn’t normal. And Logan Echolls has never done normal. And, no matter what she thinks, Veronica Mars doesn’t do normal either.

Logan makes some calls and gets a lead from Conner Larkin, whose neighbor plans to sell. The house hasn’t officially gone on the market yet, and he needs to move quick. He skips class to see it and immediately falls in love. It’s a beautiful, new construction, beachfront property. In an area of the ‘09 with enough  to security to make him feel comfortable. Enough space that they won’t be on top of each other (unless they want to be) and blissfully empty. They can furnish it together, have it decorated together. Really make it theirs.

After setting up a private showing for 10am that Saturday, he tells Veronica that they’re only looking. Just doing a favor for a friend.

The realtor greets them warmly, and subtly eyes Veronica’s fake diamond ring with distaste. A clear professional, the man hangs back and lets them discover the house for themselves.

Logan watches Veronica carefully, trying to discern her level of interest. The light in her eyes tells him she loves it just as much as he does, her teeth worrying her lip tells him she’s thinking about the price. He even sees her reach for her phone to call.... he covers the quick pang of sympathy by lacing his fingers through hers and gently reminding her, “I’m here.”

Knowing she is going to argue over the price, he’s come prepared. Leading her out the front door, he covertly sends a quick text message, and turns her to face the house. He points to the house on the right, and then a little more dramatically to the house on the left, which strategically features a shirtless Conner Larkin settling onto a deck chair while sipping Sun Tea. He says, “Look, neighbors!” and smirks when she caves.

* * *

He’s staring at the tiny, thin blonde hair caught in the blade of his top-of-the-line,  _ new _ razor. They’re about to get into a fight.

“Did you use my razor?”

“I don’t know, maybe.”

Maybe? She can’t even look him in the eye, choosing to stare at his towel instead.

He goes off. He’s halfway through a lecture when the possibility that his anger might have another source occurs to him. However, he brazens it out, ignores the guilt for yelling, and doubles down on his self-righteous anger. He is the product of theater people after all. Bringing his speech to a dramatic finish, he vaguely wonders if she’ll slow clap.  

Veronica blinks at him. “What’s this really about?”

He should have know she’d call him on his bullshit. She always has, even when they were twelve. And it’s one of the many reasons why he loves her. But that’s the real problem, isn’t it? He knows he loves her, but in all of their time together she hasn’t said it back.

Actions may speak louder than words, but words clarify intention. She has no problem living with him, she very obviously doesn’t have a problem sleeping with him, and she's running around letting the world think they’re getting married. But she she hasn’t once said “I love you.” He can’t help that it makes him feel like the default choice. Like she had nowhere else to go, no one better to be with.

He calls her on  _ her  _ bullshit, and asks her what is going on between them. He needs to know she’s in this with him, long term, because he’s terrified he’s going to wake up one day and find her gone. Just like everyone else.

Because she’s Veronica, she leads with facts. They bought a house together. What does  _ he _ think that means? He just shrugs in reply. The truth of it is, it means a whole lot of nothing. His parents bought a house together.  _ Her  _ parents bought a house together. So while it matters, it doesn’t necessarily mean she’s in it for the long haul.

He doesn’t know what, but something in his lack of response spurs her to start sharing, and he has to force his jaw not to pop open. Veronica Mars Shares Her Feelings, news at 10. She tells him they’re epic. She talks of bloodshed and ruined lives. He’s beginning to wonder if perhaps  _ she’s _ the product of theater people, when she finally says it.  Three words that he feels like an idiot for needing so much. He cuts her off in the middle of spurting some nonsense about tracking his car. They can talk later.

Later that night, he’s replaying everything in his head when the tail end of their conversation registers.

“Veronica. Is there a GPS device in my car?”

* * *

He’s buoyant. Nothing can bring him down. Not Veronica’s insistence on bullying Belle (rubber duckie, indeed). Not the college fair he’s been dreading because he’s been afraid to bring up the future. He doesn’t even care that she bugged his phone. God help him, he thinks it’s cute. Nothing. They talked. Actually talked. Logan Echolls and Veronica Mars Discuss Their Relationship, news at 11.

He sees this as a step forward for  _ them _ . Individually they have made strides, but this—the house, their epic-ness—is progress for them as a couple. They’re going to be okay. 


	7. Chapter 7

“Veronica Mars, please come to the security station. Veronica Mars. Please come to the security station.”

Logan is mortified. They  _ paged  _ her. They paged her over the amusement park PA. And it’s his own fault.  _ Shit _ . She’s going to kill him.

_ All he wants to do is have some fun, he shouldn’t be the only one who wants that. But Veronica doesn’t seem interested in teenage revelry, and responsibility is giving him hives. So when he and Veronica agree to go their separate ways on the Junior Class Magic Mountain trip, he runs back to Belle and grabs the duffel bag of beer he stashed just in case. Catching up to Dick and Enbom, Logan hands out the libations. Let the good times roll. _

_ As it turns out, revelry is overrated. He hasn’t spent a lot of time with them recently, and Logan is discovering that Dick and those guys are kind of boring. He posits that there might be a positive correlation between their appeal and the number of beers he consumes, so he starts imbing freely. The next thing he knows, he’s being dragged off the spinning tea cups by security as parents and children stare at him in horror. _

_ Irritated, embarrassed, and a little woozy, when the man behind the security desks asks, “Who are you here with, son?” “Veronica Mars,” just pops out of his mouth before he can control it. He tries to retract—he realizes a little too late that the security guy meant a parent or responsible party (“Neptune High,” for example, would have sufficed)—but the guard is already speaking into the mic. _

_ Logan sulks over to the cheap plastic chairs along the wall and waits. _

His furious pixie storms in, and the security guard shoots him a bewildered look. Logan flushes red. This is worse than his mom being called to the principal's office. He starts thinking frantically. Just as she opens her mouth to (he assumes) let him have it he says, “Let’s go to Italy.”

She closes her mouth with a snap. Dropping down on the chair beside him, she leans her head back on the depressingly plain, white wall and sighs, “Okay, Logan, let’s go Italy.”

 

* * *

 

They’re trying to watch the flat screen on the private plane Logan insisted on taking to Venice. Well, she’s trying to watch, he’s trying to get answers. 

“Why, Veronica? Why’d you agree to this trip?”

He’s been bugging her for days to tell him, and her only response so far has been a look of pitying amusement. But now, she’s trapped. She  _ has  _ to answer him. He has a smile ready, fully expecting some ode to manicotti, but she surprises him.

“Because I love you, you idiot. And I don’t want to lose you. And since you won’t let me track your car,” she gives him a withering look, “I figured I better start acting unnaturally and try to compromise.”

Logan’s chest constricts. Veronica rarely says “I love you,” and he’s mostly okay with that. After all, Veronica Mars is a woman of action. She shows him she loves him every day, by being there, by caring, by baking cookies and throwing out waterbeds. Lilly said she loved him a millions times, and she treated him like dirt at least 60% of the time. He’d take the former over the latter any day. But when she does say it...

Logan shuts the TV off. He can think of better ways to pass the time.

* * *

Senior year is off to a great start. They’re headed to Hearst in the fall and Logan’s social life has hit a nice stride. He still surfs with Dick, but most of the ‘09ers have fallen off his radar. He spends most of his non-Veronica time with Wallace and, surprisingly, Norris Clayton.

_ When Logan, Wallace, and Mac first start their insulation techniques around Veronica, Norris is someone who constantly shows up on the periphery. Logan remembers Norris protecting Veronica from bullies and spitballs before _ _ , _ _ but he also remembers Norris beating kids up for their lunch money. He doesn’t know what to make of it, and has other things to worry about (like Veronica eating). Norris doesn’t approach her so Logan takes a ‘wait and see’ approach. _

_ He soon surmises that Norris is, discreetly, aiding their defensive line. He’s blocking anyone who falls through the cracks, glowering at them or flat-out creating a roadblock with his body. Curious, and suspicious, Logan strikes up a conversation with Norris and finds… a really decent guy. He can guess why he’s so protective of Veronica (she seems to inspire affection in the baddest of bad-asses), but he doesn’t push and Norris doesn’t offer. They share a love of anime and hot blondes, and their bromance blooms organically from there. _

* * *

The doorbell rings and Logan and Veronica both jump for it. They’re having separate play dates today, Logan is expecting Norris and Veronica is waiting for Mac. Instead, they get Duncan. Is it considered a consolation prize if no one wants it?

One brief exchange and a box of tapes later, Logan stands in the foyer, his heart racing. Duncan thinks he just handed over sex tapes. But they could be anything, really. A birthday, a fun night out, a limo party. But he knows in his gut—the same way he knows that Veronica probably aimed for Madison’s nose in dodge ball last year—this is not good.

Handing Veronica the box he says simply, “Lilly and I never made a sex tape.” Without further discussion she pulls out her phone to cancel Norris and Mac while he searches for something to play the tapes on.

“I know what happened.” Veronica’s declaration cuts through the shocked silence. They’re less than a minute into the first tape, and he’s pretty sure they both know what happened. Not that anyone who can confirm is alive.

Veronica pops up from the floor where they were sitting, huddled around the video camera Logan found in the closet. He watches her pace furiously, a little zoned out as all the implications run through his mind, when she slams her fist through the wall.

“Veronica!”

Still pacing, holding her injured hand, she quotes mockingly, “‘I have a secret, a good one.’ God, Lilly. How could you be so stupid?” She stops in front of him. “Did she know?”

“Know what?” He asks, deliberately avoiding her eyes. He can feel the scars on his back itch. She continues her pacing.

“She knew. Of course she knew. How could she  _ not _ know? If she wasn’t dead, I’d strangle her myself.” She pauses mid-pace. “We tell nobody about this.”

“Okay…”

“I’m not having your life turned upside down because your father was a pedophile and your ex-girlfriend had no moral compass. Jesus. Forget ‘news at 10,’ you’d be a movie of the week.”

She continues her rant, but he tunes her out. They’ll burn the tapes, and never speak of it again. Problem solved.

He’s not really phased by this new development. His shitty ex-girlfriend did a shitty thing with his shitty father.  _ Whatever _ . It doesn’t feel like the most important thing that’s happened to him this year. Hell, it doesn’t feel like the most important thing that’s happened to him today. That would be this morning when he and Veronica were—  

“Fucking Aaron Echolls.” He blinks at her loud outburst.

Maybe it’s the time away from the toxic people in his life. Maybe it’s loving someone who loves him back. All he knows is that, in this moment, Veronica is way more affected by this than he is.

He knows she’ll calm down. They’ll both end up forgiving Lilly, they always have before. But right now, she’s just so vengeful and indignant on his behalf, he thinks the most prudent course of action would be to have a repeat of this morning.

* * *

Logan observes the “Introduction to Criminology” textbook Veronica is reading with distaste. He has been trying to get her to take other coursework, interesting subjects, not just practical ones. He firmly believes college doesn’t have to just be a means to an end. It’s an opportunity to explore what interests you.

For himself, his love of reading and ability to retain even the most obscure references easily translates to an English major. His desire to connect to his mother is what sways him towards Irish Literature. They never did get to discuss James Joyce, but the books made an impression, and he wants to expand on that. Maybe it will help him understand his mom better. Logan plans to couple that major with Economics. He's trying his hardest to make good decisions with his life. He thinks studying economics might help him with that.

 

* * *

As a a graduation gift, Logan surprises Veronica by giving her the entire building that housed the Mars Investigations office. Hers to do with as she pleases.

She has her PI license, but says her heart doesn’t lie in investigation work. She graduated with a double major in Photography and Journalism and takes assignments for various local papers and websites, but she doesn’t need a building for that. It’s not until Mac convinces her to show some of her candid photographs at a local art gallery that inspiration strikes.

The response to her work is positive, and she has started getting requests for commissions. So Logan convinces her to turn the bottom floor of the building into an art gallery, showcasing her work and possibly other local artists. Which leaves the old MI office as the ideal location for a photography studio. The kitchenette will be a dark room, her father’s office will become her office, and the reception area is a perfect studio space.

In the middle of the renovation, she takes a newspaper assignment that keeps her too busy to work on the building, so for the last two months Logan has been overseeing the majority of the work.

And for the last two months he’s been pushing down panic attacks because, for some moronic reason, he decided to use the “big reveal” to propose. What if she says no? Then every time he walks into the building, he’ll have to step over the little pieces of his heart that still litter the floor.

She won’t say no. They bought a house together. That’s supposed to mean something. She said so. They’re already family. She said that, too. It’s going to be fine. No, not fine. Epic.

There’s no turning back now anyway. The renovations are finished and they’re standing at the entrance of the gallery.

He stands back while Veronica oohs and ahhs over the freshly painted space, fingering the ring box in his pocket. Like their relationship, the history behind the ring is both beautiful and tragic. He’s hoping to give it, and them, a more promising future.  The first time he even heard about the ring was in his mom’s suicide note.

_ In 1961, Leonard Lester dutifully saves two months of salary, plus a little extra—just in case. He then spends an embarrassingly long amount of time agonizing over cut, color, and clarity. _

_ On the day of purchase, he paces the jewelry store as he considers the various styles available, the dainty fingers of his sweetheart, and just how far he can stretch his savings. The saleswomen must find his bashful nerves charming, because they go out of their way to show him the best rings, and the best deals. _

_ In a bold move, fueled by love and a (all too frequent) spontaneous bout of cockiness, he purchases not only an engagement ring, but a wedding band for the future Mrs. Leonard Lester as well. _

_ That night, over a carefully orchestrated dinner at her favorite Italian restaurant, Leonard slides from his chair and kneels down next to his darling, Vivian. She says “yes,” before he can even take the ring out of his pocket. Still, all the effort is worth it when, upon seeing the ring set, Vivian effusively praises his good taste and waves her left hand around, flaunting it,  for the remainder of the evening. _

_ Their lives are uncomplicated, and they’re content in its simplicity. Leonard works the assembly line at the Ford Motor Company. Vivian is a records clerk at the local police station. They save the grand adventures for the romance novels Vivian reads aloud before bed, and focus on supporting each other—making their present the best it can be. _

_ Every Friday he brings her flowers. Every Sunday she cooks a pot roast. Every night they play records, and most nights he asks her to dance. They find joy in sharing their day, discussing their hopes and dreams. _

_ When one of those dreams come true, in the form of a gorgeous baby girl they name Lynn, Vivian and Leonard easily extend their bubble of love to include her. He brings his girls flowers every Friday; Vivian and Lynn make a pot roast every Sunday. Most nights they stay up late dancing and reconnecting after they put Lynn to bed. _

_ They’re satisfied with the lives they lead. Proud of the values they hold. So when their only daughter tells them she wants to be a movie star, they’re bewildered. But they know love is supportive. Leonard supported Vivian when she nervously applied for her record keeping job, and Vivian supported Leonard after he landed himself in jail for punching the first cop that made a pass at her. And so they easily extend their support to include Lynn. They buy her a bus ticket to LA for her 18th birthday, and secretly put aside enough for a ticket home—just in case. _

_ They made promises, took vows, and so when Vivian is diagnosed with breast cancer not long after Lynn leaves for LA, Leonard has her, he holds her, through the sickness, all the while hoping for health to return. He brings her flowers every week, makes her a pot roast every Sunday. When Vivian passes away, Leonard follows three weeks later. His official cause of death is heart failure, but those who know him believe his heart broke three weeks ago. _

_ A broken Lynn returns to clean out her childhood home, and finds her mother’s rings in her the nightstand, next to a couple of dog-eared romance novels, and an envelope marked “Lynn, Bus Money.” _

_ Lynn buries her family and uses the money to return to LA. Once there, she tearfully locks the rings away, vowing to wear them when she finds her own true love—a love as great as theirs. And so, it is with hearts in her eyes that Lynn Lester marries a bashful, yet spontaneously cocky, Aaron Echolls. _

_ Their lives aren’t simple. Lynn can’t seem to get used to the pretense of LA society. But she perseveres, she never stops chasing her dream for the perfect life. She chases it through bruised torsos and bottles of gin. She chases it past scantily clad women and malicious headlines. And when part of her dream comes true, in the form of a beautiful baby boy, she realizes that she finally has someone. Someone who lights up her world. But it turns out, he’s someone she can’t protect. Someone who is better off without her. _

_ So she washes down her dreams with prescription pills and Evian. And says goodbye. She leaves the Blackberry with her story, her goodbye note, on the passenger seat of her cherry red convertible, before stepping off the rail of Coronado Bridge. _

_ When Logan finds the rings, hiding next to his grandfather’s lighter, he understands their significance immediately. Staring at the engraving inside the engagement ring, he makes a vow to find his mother. _

_ He read her so-called goodbye note, and he doesn’t believe she killed herself. She wouldn’t just let go of the hope for the kind of love his grandparents shared. Even if she failed in the past, that’s the type of love you keep searching for, keep fighting for. Logan himself is a fighter, and despite the bruises from his father, he thinks he got that from his mother. So he’s going to find her. _

_ He runs his thumb over the words etched in the band. Tomorrow, he’s going to talk to Veronica Mars. They used to be friends a long time ago. They’re on the verge of becoming friends again. He hears she does favors for friends. _

And now, here he is, years later, standing in front of the door to the former Mars Investigations office, trying not to vomit. It’s ridiculous.

In a surge of courage (that looks suspiciously like cockiness), he positions her in front of the door and stands behind her. Reaching around her he turns the knob, then gently steers her inside to the wall opposite the entrance.

There, a wide, velvet red ribbon starts on the far wall and wraps around the entire room, over the closed doors of the dark room and office, ending at the entrance doorway. Attached to the ribbon are clothespins.

She walks to the first clothespin and stares at the picture attached. It’s of them, at 12, right after one of her soccer games. She’s a little disheveled, but radiant, probably high off a win, and he’s behind her sporting a devious grin—clearly about to pull her long ponytail. Above the picture, on the wall, is a sign that reads “1999.”

This is it. The timeline of their relationship. The good, the bad, and the asshole. He debated some of the things he gathered, adding and subtracting them until he finally just put everything on the line. Their entire relationship has been dragged through pain and glued together by raw honesty. No need to sugarcoat it now.

In that spirit, between the signs for 2003 and 2004 is a banner declaring “LOGAN IS A JACKASS.”  That section consists of newspaper clippings (Lilly), magazine articles (Lynn), and even copies of detention slips from his “torture Veronica” days (Wallace managed to procure those). There is only a single picture, one Norris handed him saying, “I got over her...mostly. Good luck, brother. Don’t fuck it up.”

The picture shows Veronica sitting alone at a school lunch table, in full pink regalia, complete with long hair set in soft waves. She’s not doing anything special, just staring into space, but the sadness on her face is beautifully gut-wrenching. To her left is the ‘09er table, everyone golden and laughing. Expect for Logan. He’s turned toward Veronica, looking at her profile with such intensity it made him uncomfortable when he first saw it. He’s not sure what it means, but he knows it’s important.

Further down the line, there’s a picture of Keith, a copy of the deed for their house, their acceptance letters to Hearst. Pictures of them are interspersed: Magic Mountain (before the beer), Italy, prom, lazy days at home, nights out. All leading to one last, empty, clothespin.

When she gets to that pin, he plans to get down on one knee, ring in hand. If—WHEN—she says yes, he’ll fetch the Polaroid camera he tucked away, and they can finish the timeline together.

But she doesn’t walk around the room. Instead, she makes a slow pirouette in place, eyes bouncing from one memento to another. When her gaze reaches his, she takes a running jump, throwing her legs around his waist. “Yes.”

The ring never makes it out of his pocket.

Veronica eventually gives the memorabilia their due attention. They spend over an hour looking at everything and reminiscing. When they reach the end, she hands Logan the ring box (which fell out of his pocket when he was putting his pants back on), holds out her left hand and says, “Gimme.”

"It’s perfect.” She breathes, while running her thumb over the diamond band surrounding the small, simple emerald-cut center stone. Holding it up, she examines it more closely. Reading the inscription out loud she says, “‘ _ L + V, together in love _ .’ You had it engraved!”

Calmer now, confident, he smiles. “I didn’t. I’ll tell you about it sometime. Let’s take our picture.”

* * *

“Logan Echolls, please come to the security station. Logan Echolls. Please come to the security station.”

The announcement, over the PA system at Magic Mountain, alarms him.  _ What could have happened?  _ He only left them a minute ago.

Since the kids wanted to go on the teacup ride—and he’s never going on that  ride again—he used the opportunity to buy everyone some bottles of water. Doctor Spock says hydration is important in children of all ages.

Entering the security station, he hears his wife’s dulcet tones.

“And I told  _ you _ that I’m not leaving this park without my husband.”

Logan spies two sullen kids sitting in cheap plastic chairs, and one angry Veronica going toe-to-toe with a burly security guard.

_ There’s my girl, spreading sunshine wherever she goes. _

“And who is your husband, Miss?”

Logan mentally raises his hand.

“I already told  _ that _ guy,” she gestures rather violently at the man behind the PA mic, “who my husband is. Or did you miss the announcement, Bob?”

Bob should exercise more caution with someone who can deliver honey coated venom with such ease, but the man clearly has no sense of self preservation. He puffs out his chest,  _ “ _ Now listen here, little girl—“

“ _ Little girl _ ?”

_ Shit. She’s going to taser Bob.  _ The kids perk up in their seats, clearly expecting the same. Tony catches sight of him.

“Mom, Dad’s here!”

Joy gives him a little finger wave.

Logan hustles forwards, and gathers Veronica to him. “I’ll take it from here,” he glances at the man’s name tag, “Robert.”

Veronica lets Logan lead her out, signalling for the kids to follow. “Bye, Bob,” she sings out mockingly over her shoulder.

They leave the park in silence, content to listen to the sounds of the kids bickering goodnaturedly.

When they hit the parking lot he asks, “So… what happened?”

“Mom punched someone!”

“Tony, shush. I didn’t  _ punch _ anyone.”

“Veronica…”

Veronica turns red, muttering, “I kicked him.”

Of course she did. “Why?”

“Well he grabbed me from behind —”

Logan spins on his heel and starts back towards the park. Veronica chases him.

“Logan, no!” She tugs at his arm, pulling him back in the other direction. “It was a mistake. I should have said—I  _ thought _ he grabbed me from behind, but it was a case of mistaken identity. Only I didn’t realize it, and I slammed my foot down on his toe.”

“Mistaken identity?” Doubt is clear in his voice, but he keeps walking towards their car.

“He thought I was someone else, and he was trying to give me a hug. His wife explained everything, but he was so busy hollering about his ‘broken toe’ that security got there and insisted we leave.”

“Wait, his wife was there? Who did he think you were?”

If possible, she turns an even brighter shade of red.

“He thought Mom was his daughter!” Joy offers gleefully.

Veronica gives her a narrowed-eyed look, as Logan snickers.

They reach the car, and Logan unlocks the doors so everyone can pile inside.

In immense good cheer, he slides behind the steering wheel and pulls out his phone, pressing the familiar sequence of keys to change his voicemail.

“This is Logan Echolls with today’s inspiration quote. ‘You go through life wondering what it’s about, but at the end of the day, it’s all about family.’ Rod Stewart.”  

Tony groans from the backseat, “Corny, Dad. You’re so embarrassing.” While next to him Joy wonders, “Who’s Rod Stewart?”

Veronica’s shoulder’s shake with mirth.

Logan raises his voice, addressing the car. “Listen up, family! This is important. You remember this: I used to be cool.”

Veronica joins in the laughter a little too wholeheartedly and Logan aims a pout in her direction.

She grins and interlaces her fingers with his on the gear shift.   

“Let’s take the long way home.”

**Author's Note:**

> Many, many, many thanks to CubbieGirl1723 for encouraging me to finish this...and for beta-ing more times than I'd care to admit. I'm lucky to know you, friend.


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